Common Causes of Truck Accidents in Florida

Tractor-trailer truck crashes occur for a number of different reasons, but information concerning how truck accidents are caused is limited. The most common truck accident causes include:

• Angulation (Trailer Angular Slip),
• Complete rollover,
• Lateral overturning,
• Side impact collision,
• Frontal collision,
• Rear-end collision, and
• Trailer turns.

While there are numerous reasons why truck accidents occur, most truck accidents are caused by truck drivers losing control of their trucks. For example, the trucker might apply the truck brakes too quickly causing the truck to overturn. Should the 18-wheeler truck turn or slide and strike a passenger car, several other collisions behind the tractor-trailer truck could transpire.

Another common cause of truck accidents is driving while fatigued. These accidents are tremendously dangerous and often result in deadly rear-end collisions. Government agencies such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCA) have created laws that govern the number of hours a truck driver is permitted to drive each day. These laws also include how many hours truck drivers must rest. Truckers who do not obey these laws endanger the lives of motorists. These laws and regulations were passed in hopes of reducing the number of drowsy driving accidents in the United States.  

Despite these strict regulations, some trucking companies and truck drivers continue to push their luck by ignoring these life-saving laws. Commercial truck drivers state that one of the reasons why they drive long hours is because of the pressure felt by the transportation companies they work for. For example, a trucking company might set tight deadlines on deliveries. This tight deadline causes the truck driver to try and make up for delays. These deadlines make the truck drivers tired and drive beyond the restrictions in violation of federal regulations related to driving time.

Driving while fatigued is extremely dangerous because the driver is driving impaired. Many studies show that fatigued driving is similar to drunk driving in terms of operator judgment, reaction time, and vision. There is no room for mistakes when driving a large truck. Even looking away from the road for one second could result in the truck driver losing control over their truck.

Free Consultation with Our Dedicated Florida Truck Accident Attorneys! 

Fuentes Berrio Schutt represents truck accident injury victims and families of fatal injury victims throughout the state of Florida. Our trucking accident attorneys are available to serve you at your home, workplace, hospital, or anywhere else in Palm Beach County and Broward County, and especially in the cities of Deerfield Beach, Lake Worth, Pompano, Hillsboro, and Highland Beach.

If you or a loved one has been injured or if a loved one has been fatally injured, call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 954-752-1110 for a free consultation and case review. Protect your rights today. Nosotros hablamos español.